The display on this device is interesting because it is a single chip lcd panel

The 770 has the integral ability, however, to be a remote display device. That means that it can devote its processing to display and user input operations, and not have to actually run an application or store/access data. Side by side with a UMPC that is handling display and user input operations as well as running an app and storing/accessing data the 770 will outperform it.

A UMPC is limited to whatever processing power and storage it is equipped with while the 770 is limited to the processing power and storage of the various supercomputing clusters that the icons on its gui monitor and/or control. The 770 will win any performance contest that it enters because it is designed to produce a user experience that combines the 770's local display and input processing with any remote number crunching, i/o enhanced system it is authorized to connect to. It isn't a PC - it's a network display which has a versatile implementation of an OS that makes it much more than a terminal, too.

But when a 770 is not connected to the network, then its performance is overshadowed by a UMPC tablet that will appear in several months, you say? Well, yes, but now you've taken the fish out of the water and you would tell us that not only can it no longer swim but it will die.

Duh.

The 770 isn't a UMPC, costs about 1/3 what a UMPC costs, and is designed as a network device, so comparing performance of the 770 off the network to anything is senseless. It's a window on the network - make your comparisons when it is being used as a window on the network. Then we'll see what happens.

Can a UMPC, at three or four times the cost, outperform the 770 when being used as a window on the network? Only if it can somehow significantly lower network latencies and higher display rendition than the 770 to justify the cost difference. And if the network latencies and display rendition improvements exist and are perceptible, then the UMPC is a better network window. Unless and until that is demonstrated the UMPC is not a step forward except as a handheld computing device.

I think that Micro$oft and the UMPC makers think that the public is ready to embrace the 800x480 display factor in 7" handheld devices as a replacement for a PC. We'll find out, I guess. I'm sceptical about that. I hope we don't see too many reviews that express disappointment of how a fish out of water (a 770 not being used as a network window) can't swim.